NON-CONTACT PRINTED EDIBLE PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME
The present disclosure provides non-contact printed comestible products and methods for making these products. The comestible products include an edible substrate and an edible ink-indicia on the substrate. An organoleptic component which corresponds to a feature of the edible ink-indicia and/or a feature of the edible substrate is present on the edible substrate. The edible ink-indicia and the organoleptic component increase the consumer appeal for the product.
1 . An edible product comprising:
an edible substrate;
an edible ink-indicia printed on the edible substrate; and
an organoleptic component corresponding to a feature of the edible ink-indicia.
2 . The product of claim 1 wherein the edible substrate is selected from the group consisting of a confectionery, a coated confectionery, a chewing gum, a coated chewing gum, a center-filled chewing gum, a coated center-filled chewing gum, and combinations thereof.
3 . The product of claim 1 wherein the edible ink-indicia is selected from the group consisting of a word, an image, a color, a symbol, an object, an alpha-numeric representation, a letter, text, a shape, a fanciful shape, a symbol, a logo, a graphic, an advertising indicia, and combinations thereof.
4 . The product of claim 1 wherein the organoleptic component is selected from the group consisting of a flavoring agent, a cooling agent, a heating agent, a mouthfeel agent, a tingling agent, a fizzing agent, a sweetening agent, a souring agent, a bittering agent, a teeth whitening agent, a breath freshening agent, an anti-cavity agent, an audible agent, and combinations thereof.
5 . The product of claim 1 wherein the feature is selected from the group consisting an element of the ink-indicia, a color of the ink-indicia, a meaning conveyed by the ink-indicia, a perception generated by the ink-indicia, a concept communicated by the ink-indicia, and combinations thereof.
6 . The product of claim 1 wherein the edible ink-indicia is a high-resolution image.
7 . The product of claim 1 wherein the edible ink-indicia comprises a word and the feature is a meaning of the word.
8 . The product of claim 1 wherein the edible ink-indicia is an inkjet-indicia.
9 . The product of claim 1 comprising a multicolor edible ink-indicia.
10 . The product of claim 1 comprising a plurality of organoleptic components.
11 . An edible product comprising:
an edible substrate;
an edible ink-indicia printed on the edible substrate; and an organoleptic component corresponding to a feature of the edible substrate.
12 . The edible substrate of claim 11 wherein the feature is selected from the group consisting of a structure of the edible substrate, a composition of the edible substrate, an ingredient in the edible substrate, a surface texture of the edible substrate, a hardness of the edible substrate, and combinations thereof.
13 . The product of claim 11 wherein the edible substrate is a chewing gum and the feature is a center-fill portion of the chewing gum.
14 . An edible product comprising:
an edible substrate having opposing first and second sides; a first edible ink-indicia on the first side;
a second edible ink-indicia on the second side, and wherein a portion of the first edible ink-indicia contacts a portion of the second edible ink-indicia.
15 . The edible product of claim 14 wherein the first edible ink-indicia contacts the second edible indicia at an edge of the edible substrate.
16 . The edible product of claim 14 wherein the first and second edible ink-indicia are inkjet indicia.
17 . The edible product of claim 14 comprising an organoleptic component on the edible substrate.
18 . The edible product of claim 14 wherein the first and second edible ink-indicia cover substantially an entire outer surface of the edible substrate.
19 . A method for producing an edible product comprising:
non-contact printing an edible ink-indicia on an edible substrate; and
placing on the edible substrate an organoleptic component that corresponds to a feature of the edible ink-indicia.
20 . The method of claim 19 comprising non-contact printing a word on the edible substrate and the organoleptic component corresponds to a meaning of the word.
21 . The method of claim 19 comprising non-contact printing a high-resolution image on the edible substrate.
22 . A method for producing an edible product comprising:
non-contact printing an edible ink-indicia on an edible substrate; and
dispensing on the edible substrate an organoleptic component that corresponds to a feature of the edible substrate.
23 . The method of claim 22 comprising forming a surface texture on the edible substrate, the organoleptic component corresponding to the surface texture.
24 . A method of preparing an edible product comprising:
non-contact printing an edible ink-indicia on an edible substrate; and
dispensing a precision dose of an organoleptic component on the edible substrate.
25 . The method of claim 24 wherein the dispensing further comprises ink jet printing.
26 . The method of claim 24 further comprising weighing the edible substrate to determine the precision dose.